Double Sailor's Valentine of Sea Shells With Heart and Star Designs

Details

Description

Double Sailor's Valentine of Sea Shells,
Barbados, West Indies,
Circa 1885

A double sailor's valentine with Spanish Cedar box with … Read more Double Sailor's Valentine of Sea Shells,
Barbados, West Indies,
Circa 1885

A double sailor's valentine with Spanish Cedar box with two sides. The right side is centered with a heart within within a ring of pink shells with beds of different colored sea shells at the border The left side has a star in the center and also with a circular ring of shells with alternating panels around the border

Dimensions: Open: 18 1/2 inches wide x 9 inches x1 1/2 inches deep; Closed: 9 inches wide x 9 inches high x 3 inches deep

See an article from the Seaport Museum, New York City, about the story and history of valentines.

From Wikipedia

A sailor's valentine is a form of shellcraft, a type of mostly antique souvenir, or sentimental gift made using large numbers of small seashells. These were originally made between 1830 and 1890, and they were designed to be brought home from a sailor's voyage at sea and given to the sailor's loved one or loved ones.[1] Sailor valentines are typically octagonal, glass-fronted, hinged wooden boxes ranging from 8 to 20 inches (20 to 51 cm) in width, displaying intricate symmetrical designs composed entirely of small sea shells of various colors glued onto a backing. Patterns often feature a centerpiece such as a compass rose or a heart design, hence the name, and in some cases the small shells are used to spell out a motto or sentimental message.[2]

Although the name seems to suggest that the sailors themselves made these objects, a large number of them originated on the island of Barbados, which was an important seaport during this period. Historians believe that the women on Barbados made the valentines using local shells, or in some cases, using shells imported from Indonesia, and then the finished products were sold to the sailors.

In his book Sailors' Valentines, John Fondas concludes that the primary source for sailor's valentines was the New Curiosity Shop, located in McGregor Street, Bridgetown, Barbados, a popular shop where sailors would purchase souvenirs. The shop was owned by the English brothers B.H. and George Belgrave. Fondas recounts that while an antique sailor's valentine was being repaired and reconstructed, pieces of a Barbados newspaper were found inside the backing material.

See: Fondas, John (2002). Sailors' Valentines. New York: Rizzoli. ISBN 9780847824144.

Frank, Stuart M. (2004). "Sailors' Valentines". In Wertkin, Gerard C. (ed.). Encyclopedia of American Folk Art. New York, NY: Routledge. p. 447. ISBN 9780415929868.

Norma Faria, "Scrimshaw Art in Bequia", Caribbean Compass, March 1998

Madeira, Grace L.; Miller, Marshall; Page, Mary S.; Schutt, Ann T. (2006). Sailors' Valentines: Their Journey Through Time. Atglen, PA: Schiffer Publishing. ISBN 9780764323782.

(Ref: NY10453-ilrr) See less